Strawberries and asparagus are for sale at the Long Beach farmers market at Kennedy Plaza, June 3, 2015. (Credit: Newsday / Erica Marcus)

The special appeal of the farmers market is neatly summed up by Ethel Terry: "The farmers and the customers get to know each other's names," says the director of Long Island Growers Market, which sponsors about a quarter of the markets in Nassau and Suffolk. In addition to nurturing relationships, the markets allow suburbanites to buy just-picked seasonal produce at fair prices while supporting...

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The special appeal of the farmers market is neatly summed up by Ethel Terry: "The farmers and the customers get to know each other's names," says the director of Long Island Growers Market, which sponsors about a quarter of the markets in Nassau and Suffolk. In addition to nurturing relationships, the markets allow suburbanites to buy just-picked seasonal produce at fair prices while supporting local agriculture and ecologically responsible farming methods.

This year, Long Island boasts 46 weekly farmers markets, seven of which (Amityville, Hempstead, Lynbrook, Patchogue Village, Patchogue New Village, Rocky Point and Setauket) are new for 2015.